hold on with an open hand

i like stories.

there is a story that has always amazed me. the story is about a man named Abraham. he lived an amazing life - traveled a bit and did some great things. well, in this particular story he was sitting around one day when God spoke to him. and He asked Abraham to do a very difficult thing. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac to Him. back in the day - grace was offered but sin required a blood sacrifice. and here's the thing - Abraham took this son that he loved so much and climbed a mountain with the full intention of sacrificing his son. well, the story ends and God provides a ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead.

one day i was reading this story. and once again i was amazed at Abraham's obedience and God's provision. but suddenly i remembered a bit of the back story. see Abraham and his wife couldn't have kids for a really long time. so they thought it might be a good idea if Abraham just went ahead and had a kid with another woman. Abraham had a son named Ishmael. now i have to believe that Abraham loved Ishmael so much. but you know how family situations can grow uncomfortable. Sarah, Abraham's wife, started to really resent this other woman and Abraham's first son Ishmael. and so she asked Abraham to send them away. and he did.

i am not saying that this takes away from Abraham's obedience to sacrifice Isaac. but it's part of his story. he had already given up a son.

sometimes there is a provision that allows us not to have to do the hard thing. sometimes we have to do the hard thing anyways. and i think there is great hope in this. we can choose to be obedient with or without an immediate reward. God told Abraham that there was no reason to be afraid because He - Yahweh, the creator-God, would be his shield and his very great reward. (Genesis 15:1) and i have to believe that this is more than enough.